Tank placement delayed for now

A fork lift operator lifts arsenic treatment tanks off a truck for later placement in the new treatment plant building. There were 16 tanks in all, four to a section, with each section weighing about five tons.

Workers were prepared to set 16 tanks for Electric City’s arsenic treatment plant in place Tuesday until word came that the crane enroute to do the job had slammed into an underpass someplace around Spokane.

The crane delay was holding up two trucks loaded with the tanks. Clearwater Construction crews had to off-load the tanks in a temporary location so drivers could return to their routes.

There was no word on how long the crane accident would hold up the project.

The crane had been scheduled to lift the heavy four-tank sections over the wall of the building that will house them and put them in place.

Both the tanks and heavy packages of sand-like material that will be used inside the tanks were placed in temporary places by a large lift truck.

Clearwater Construction submitted the low bid of $1.3 million to do the project.

Electric City was forced to put in the water treatment plant when the federal government lowered its standard for arsenic in drinking water. The old standard was 50 parts per billion. At the time Electric City’s water was showing 13-17 parts of arsenic per billion.

Trapped in the new regulation standard, Electric City was forced to move into the current project which will lower arsenic content below 10 parts per billion.

There was no word on when the crane would be available to place the tanks.